Vehicle-wheel.



C. P. BURGESS.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

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1,057,1 15. Patented Mar. 25, 1913.

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Attorneys C. P. B-URGESS.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 9, 1912.

Patented Mar.25,191`3.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

fz/1 Inventor With-ewes# Attorneys UNITED sTATEs CHARLES P. BUnGEss,

.PATENT OFFICE.

OF DEPAUW, INDIANA,

VEHICLE-WHEEL. A

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led January 9, 1912. Serial No. 670,295.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES P. BURGEss,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Depauw, in the county of Harrison and State of Indiana, have invented a new and usefulI rangement of resilient elements, thereby to avoid the necessity of employing pneumatic tires.

With the foregoing .and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides inthe .combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction vhereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of invention hereindisclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.-

In the accompanying drawings,-Figure 1 shows the invention in side elevation; Fig. 2 is a radial section, showing the device which is depicted in Fig. 1.

In carrying out the invention there is provided a' hub 1,- from which radiate spokes 2, supporting a felly 3, circumscribed by a `felly and band 4, the felly 3,and the felly -band 4 constituting the inner. rim of the structure.

The outer rim comprlses a palr 'of side plates equipped with'chanpels 6, between which are located inwardly rejecting ribs 7. The tire,.denoted genera ly by the numeral 8, is disposed between the side plates 5, the tire 8 having ribs 9, adapted t register in the channels 6, there being between the ribs 9, a channel 10, adapted to receive the rib 7 of the side pla-te 5, the rib 9 fitting into the channels 6 of the side plates 5.

Into the depressions formed by the fashionin of the ribs 7, and upon the outer faces of the side plates 5, supporting blocks 11 are fitted, the outer faces of the supporting blocks 11 being, parallel, so las to receive properly, the ends of bolt and nut structures 12, passingthrough the side plates, and

engaging the tire 8. The inner edges of the side plates 5 are flexed laterally, to form flanges 14. A banda15 is provided, the same circumscribing the wheel, and bearing against the under face of the tire 8, the band 15 beinglocated between .the side plates 5 and being' spaced from the side plates. Consldere'd generally, `the tire 8 is wider inner face.` Consequently, when the side plates 5 are applied to the tire 8, the tire,

between the side plates 5. Owing to.the

20, itwill be observed that the springs are disposed in pairs, and that each spring V20 consists of a long arm 100 and a short arm 101. Presupposing that'the operator is facing the wheel, as shown in yfFig.: 1,l the long arm 100 of one spring of one pair, and the short arm 101 of the other spring ofthe same pair, are, as`shown at 102,'secured to outer rim, uponthe-.farside of said rim. The short arm 101' of the first specified spring, amt' the long" arm 100 of the second specified spring, are secured to the inner rim, upon the near side of the rim, as indicated at 103. Considering the next adjoining pair of springs, the long arm 104 of one spnng, and the short arm 105 of the other spring of-'the pair are securedL to the outer rim, upon the near side of the rim, as shown at 106. The short arm 107 of the first men- .tioned spring, and the long arm 108 of the second mentioned spring, are secured to the inner rim, upon the far side of said rim, as shown at 109. This alternate arrangement is carried out throughout the entire periphery of the wheel.

Noting Fig. 1 it will beobserved that one spring 2001:' each -pair has its ends connected with the inner and outer rims upon a line A-GB which, circumferentially of the wheel, intersects the radius C-D of .the wheel. The other spring 20 of each pair has its erentially of the wheel. Referrmg' to Fig.

Patented Mar. 25, 1913.'

adjacent its tread than it is` adjacent -its provision ofthe channels 6 in the side plates plates'are increased in strength ac-U ends connected with the inner and outer rims upon a line P-Q which, circumferenwhen the wheel is in use, tends to wedge f discussion of the arrangement .ofthe springsv P-Q also intersect tlieiiiivdian plane E F vof the wheel, in opposite directions, transversely of the wheel.

The specific means for attaching the springs 20 to the inner rim and to the outer rim will now be dealt with in detail.

U-bolts 16 are passed through the flanges 14, the U-bolts 16 carrying at their free ends,\nuts 17. The U-bolts 1G are looped into other U-bolts 1S, provided with nuts 19, the U-bolts 18 passing through the ends of the arched springs 20. The inner ends of the springs 20 are equipped with U-bolts 21 carrying nuts 22. The U-bolts 21 are engaged with U-bolts 23, the .U-bolts 23 being engaged with the felly band 4, and carrying nuts 24. The felly band 4 outstands beyond the edges of the felly 3, to accommodate and to receive the U-bolts 23.

The springs 20, when the wheel is supportedat its axis only, are preferably in a neus' tral state. Therefore, those springs which are adjacent the bottoni of the wheel, when the wheel is in contactwitli the ground,l will be `pnt under compression, those springs which are adjacent the top of the-wheel being under tension; the intermediate springs, between the top and the bottom of the Wheel being under tension or under com ression,

' accordingly as they alternately fo low the lines A-B andy P-Q, the springs which incline downwardly from the inner rim to the outer rim being compressed and the springs which incline upwardly being elongated.-

Owing to the peculiar rela-tions existing between the several springs and the radii gf the wheel upon the one hand, and the median plane of the wheel upon the other hand, an even tension upon nearly all of the springs is secured, whether the whfeel is driving the vehicle, is retarded by the action of a brake, or is at rest, and merely supporting the weight of the vehicle. `The positioning of the springs as above described, serves to provide the required resistance and resiliency, transversely of the. wheel. The spi'ings serve to take up some of the undue stress imposed upon the wheel when a corner is rounded, the springs further serving to reduce the transverse motion of the vehicle, while the same is passing over an uneven road-bed. The springs obviously oer the necessary resistance and resiliency in a vertical direction, and the wheel, therefore, is sustained both vertically and horizontally.

The unions afforded by the interengaged U-bolts permit of adjustment, and 1 thus wear, friction, and noise in operation, are reduced to a minimum. Moreover, the interengaged U-bolts serve to prevent a torsional movement in the springs, the springs being prevented, by the U-bolts, from turninq' axially.

xHaving thus described the invention, what is claimed is i In a wheel, an inner rim; an outer rim; springs connecting the rims; the springs being terminally connected to the rims in lines, which, circuinferentially of the wheel, intersect `the radius of the wheel, and which, transversely of the Wheel, intersect the inedian plane of the wheel, said lines being oppositely inclined circumferentially of` the wheel and transversely of the wheel; said springs being in the form of arched plates having arms of unequal lengths, the shorter arms of alternate sprinvs being connected to -the outer rim, and the onger arms of other alternate springs being connected to the inner rim.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I` have -hereto alxed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHAS. P. BURGESS.

Witnesses WM. MURR, DiuscoLL FUN K. 

